The Nepal government has officially prohibited solo expeditions to Mount Everest and other mountain peaks over 8,000 metres by requiring one mountain guide for every two climbers, according to updated mountaineering regulations.
The sixth amendment to the Mountaineering Regulation came into force on Tuesday after it was published in the Nepal Gazette, the government’s official publication.
The statement adds that the revised regulations require a high-altitude support staff or mountain guide to be assigned for every two climbers for peaks above 8,000 metres, including the 8,849-metre-tall Mt. Everest.
For other mountains, the rule requires at least one guide per group, according to a notice published in the Nepal Gazette. Under the previous rule, one mountain guide was sufficient for a group of climbers scaling mountains above 8,000 metres.
The government has made guides mandatory to ensure the climbers’ safety on the mountain, said Arati Neupane, Director at the Department of Tourism. The amendment was made to minimise the risk associated with mountain climbing, she added.
The government recently hiked the royalty to climb Mt Everest from USD 11,000 per person to USD 15,000, effective September 1 during the spring season.
Under the revised regulations, the royalty fee for foreign climbers attempting to climb Mt Everest from the south route in the spring season (March-May) has increased from USD 11,000 to USD 15,000 per person.
The climbing fee for the autumn season (September-November) has increased from USD 5,500 to USD 7,500. For the winter (December-February) and the monsoon (June-August) season, the fee has increased from USD 2,750 to USD 3,750.
